


if there was a right way (honey there is no right way)

by leonardo_de_binchi



Category: The Adventure Zone (Podcast)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Bookstore, Bookstore AU, Cannon-Typical Language, Gen, Modern Setting, Pining, i don’t even know what it’s about, its a wip y’all, that’s right
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-03
Updated: 2020-09-03
Packaged: 2021-03-06 18:47:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,307
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26263648
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/leonardo_de_binchi/pseuds/leonardo_de_binchi
Kudos: 3





	if there was a right way (honey there is no right way)

In the early sunlight, dust filtered through the air, settling on the old books that lined the walls and parts of the floor of the only bookstore in town. Paint silently peeled up from the shelves and shutters, years of sunlight baking it from the wood. The logo on the window was chipping, unchanged from when it was plastered on in the early 80s. There were only two new things in the store since that time, actually. The first was the small rainbow flag sticker stuck in the glass pane of the door. The second was the young woman who touched the sticker while she unlocked the door, just like she did every morning.

The bell tinkled as Lucretia walked into the store. She flipped the lights on and set out through the store, picking up the piles of reshelving she had left on the floor the night before. The least her aunt could’ve done before she left Lucretia this downward spiral of a bookstore was organize it. At any rate, she owned the shop now.

Bound Together was the only bookstore in Dalengoha. It had been the only bookstore for over thirty years. In the years preceding her aunt’s passing, it had happened on some rough times. Online bookstores were part of the problem, but the biggest issue was the chain bookstore just an hour away.

Lucretia heaved a stack of romance novels onto the counter. For some reason the books were not shelved by genre, or author, or in any other reasonable type of order. Three months into renovating, Lucretia was still going crazy over it. Any time she would try to vent to her roommate Magnus over the mess, he would just laugh and tell her that it couldn’t be worse than how he kept his workshop.

Despite the dilapidation and complete shelving overhaul taking place, people were starting to notice the store a little more (Lucretia chalked it up to the rainbow sticker).

Bound Together had its first customer of the day not long after opening.

“Welcome to Bound Together,” Lucretia called from her seat behind the counter, completely absorbed in peeling the labels off of some particularly brittle soft covers. “Let me know if I can help you with anything.”

Footsteps creaked throughout the store as the customer made their way along the shelves. Lucretia didn’t bother to make more conversation or engage with them. Some people just liked to come in and touch the books. After fifteen minutes of cracking soft covers, Lucretia decided to cut her losses and just label over them. She stood and stretched her back before making her way to the next pile of books. She tried her best to avoid whoever was roaming her shelves, crouching to pick up the pile at the end of the row they were on. 

“No, it’s pretty much the same as when we were kids,” Lucretia heard the person say quietly. Then footsteps toward her. “I won’t stay much longer. I know you want to film that hotdog video while we’re here.”

As the footsteps got closer, Lucretia panicked. She didn’t want them to think she was eavesdropping. She needed to get the books and run back to her counter.

Luck wasn’t on her side.

As she stood and turned away, her foot caught on a stack of books, causing her to stumble and drop her armful of hardbacks on her other foot.

“Shit!” she hissed loudly as she stumbled to stand. The footsteps came from the aisle behind her.

“Let me let you go, Taako. See you soon.” 

Lucretia turned to face the voice. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to…”

Looking back at her in a wide cracked, lopsided grin was Lup. She was different, but there was no mistaking the almost golden eyes or the smattering of freckles across her slightly crooked nose. She hadn’t seen or thought about Lup in years. Seeing her now panged Lucretia’s heart in a way it hadn’t felt in a decade. 

“Hey, Lucy,” Lup grinned at her, spreading her arms for a hug. Lucretia gladly went into them.

“Oh my God, Lup!” Lucretia laid her head in the crook of Lup’s neck. “How are you? How’s Taako?”

Lup took a step back and held her at arm’s length.

“Always a journalist, going right for the interview!” Her laugh filled the store. “Just let me look at you for a second, Luce! You look great! Finally grew out your hair a little!”

“Well, it has been ten years,” Lucretia said, touching her hair reflexively, eyes studying every freckle she didn’t recognize on Lup’s face. Lup chuckled again, clasping Lucretia’s hand.

“We’ve got sooooo much catching up to do, and only a little time before Taako hunts my ass down.”

“What are you doing back in town? I thought the two of you would never set foot in this shit hole again?” Lucretia asked, still clasping Lup’s hand.

“Well, Aunt Viv passed, so Taako and I drove up for the funeral. She was the only one that really ever tried to keep us.”

“I’m so sorry to hear that. She was a good woman,” Lucretia said, genuinely feeling sad for Lup. And Taako. The shitty hand they had been dealt always shook her to the bone. Lup squeezed her hand, which suddenly shocked Lucretia into realizing that they were still holding hands. She dropped Lup’s hand, not wanting to be awkward. “Do you want a cup of tea?”

“I’d love one.”

Ten minutes later Lucretia and Lup were seated at the counter with a cup of tea, recanting the last few years of their lives.

“After college I moved back home and started writing freelance, for like the newspaper and a few online publications. When I found out that my aunt left me the book store, my mom pressured me to sell it, but here I am, trying not to run it into the ground,” Lucretia stirred her tea. “But that’s just boring stuff, tell me about you.”

“You’re not boring, Luce,” Lup laughed. She took a sip of her tea. “Me and Taaks are the same as we’ve ever been. We bounced around for a bit, but eventually everything worked out. A nice couple took us in, wanted us to be happy. They even wanted to adopt us at one point, but we were already seventeen. They helped me figure out how to get started with HRT and still stay in contact. Even Taako secretly likes them. They’re really supportive of his whole food thing.”

“That’s great, Lup!” Lucretia smiled at Lup and felt heat in her cheeks when Lup smiled back at her. The years felt like they had melted away in the short amount of time Lucretia had spent with Lup. She felt like they were thirteen again, and Lup still had the hair raising, stomach tumbling effects on Lucretia she had back then. Buzzing on the counter broke the spell. Lup sighed and picked up her phone, reading the screen.

“Ugh, I gotta go so Taako can eat at this pop up hot dog stand. I’m sorry to have to cut and run though, Lucy. It’s been so great seeing you again.”

“Oh, uh, yeah,” Lucretia said, standing up and walking to the door with Lup. As they walked, their hands brushed slightly, sending tingles up Lucretia’s hand. 

“I’m glad I ran into you, Lucretia,” Lup said, pulling Lucretia into a hug. Lucretia hugged her back, trying to relish in the feeling of Lup holding her. 

“Me too,” she finally managed to say after a pause.

“Maybe I’ll see you later,” Lup said with a wink before walking out the door.

Lucretia watched her all the way down the block before running back to the book counter. She picked up her phone and sent a message to Magnus.

“I’m fucked, dude.”


End file.
